Top of a staff "sejen" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Sénoufo · ID: 3035049

Description

light brown wood, dark brown patina, in form of a big flying bird, carrying two smaller ones on its back, min. dam., fine cracks, traces of abrasion;
such sculptures were fixed on top of long staffs and were displayed during the working competitions on the yams fields. “Sejen” means “the one who follows”. He was meant to watch over the young people while they were working.

Littérature comparée

Förster, Till, Die Kunst der Senufo aus Schweizer Sammlungen, Zürich 1988, p. 28